astonished.
Disconcerted in the face of such extraordinary courage they did not know what to do, so one of them held out his red cap on the edge of his pike, and with a natural gesture, which could only have been inspired, Louis took it and put it on his head.
The mob was silent for a moment. Then they cried:
“Vive le Roi!“ The danger was over for the King.
But they bad never felt much rancour against the King. They rushed from the room and came to the Council Chamber, where I stood behind the table holding my children close to me.
A group of guards immediately placed themselves about the table.
They stared at me.
“That’s the one. That’s the Austrian Woman.”
The Dauphin was whimpering: the red cap was suffocating him. One of the guards saw my look and took the cap off the child’s head. The women protested but the soldier cried:
“Would you suffocate a harmless child?”
And the women for they were mostly women were ashamed and did not answer. I felt relieved then. I could feel my son clutching my skirt, hiding his face against me to shut out the horror of all this.
It was so hot; the crowded room was stifling. oh God,” I prayed.
“Let death, come quickly.”
I would welcome it, for if we all died together there could be no more suffering like this.
The soldiers had unsheathed their bayonets; the mob eyed them warily; but they were shouting obscenities about me; and I prayed again: “Oh God, close my children’s ears.” I could only hope that they did not understand.
A man who was carrying a toy gibbet from which hung a female doll approached the table. He chanted: “Antoinette i la lanterne.”
I held my head high and pretended not to see him.
One woman tried to spit at me.
“Whore !’ she cried.
“Vile woman.”
My daughter moved closer to me as though to protect me from this creature. My son clung tighter.
I looked into the woman’s face and said: “Have I ever done you any harm?”
“You have brought misery to the nation.”
Tou have been told so, but you have been deceived. As the wife of the King of France and the mother of the Dauphin I am a Frenchwoman. I shall never see my own country again. I can be happy or unhappy only in France. I was happy when you loved me. “
She was silent and I saw her lips moving; there were tears in her eyes.
I was aware, too, of the stillness about us. Everyone was quiet, listening to me as I spoke.
The woman looked at my child and lifted her eyes to me and said: “I ask pardon, Madame, I did not know you. But I see you are a good woman.”
Then she turned away weeping.
That incident gave me courage. The people must be made aware that they had been fed on lies, for when they came face to face with me they knew they were false.
Another woman said: “She’s only a woman … with children.”
That provoked ribald comments; but something had happened. The woman’s tears had driven murder out of the room. They wanted to get away.
We stood behind the table for a long time and it was eight o’clock before the guards cleared the palace and we made our way over the debris of broken doors and furniture to our apartments.
I guessed that Axel would hear of this new assault and be anxious, so I sat down to write to him at once.
“I am still alive, though by a miracle. The twentieth was a terrible ordeal. But do not be anxious about me. Have faith in my courage.”
Now we were living in a damaged palace and I felt we were on the edge of disaster. As the weather grew hotter I was aware of the rising tension. The assault on the Tuileries would not be an isolated attack, I was sure of that.
I ordered Madame Campan to have a padded under-waistcoat made for the King so that if he should be attacked at any time there might be time for the guards to rescue him. It was made of fifteen folds of Italian taffeta—and comprised a waistcoat and a wide belt. I had had it tested; it resisted ordinary dagger thrust, and even shots fired at it were turned off.
I was afraid that someone would discover it and I wore it myself for three days before I had an opportunity of getting the King to try it on. I was in bed when he did so and I heard him whisper something to Madame Campan. It fitted him and he wore it, and when he had gone I asked Campan what he had said.
She was reluctant, but I said: “You had better tell me. You should understand that it is as well for me to know everything.”
She answered: “His Majesty said: ” It is only to satisfy the Queen that submit to this inconvenience. They will not assassinate me. Their schemes have changed. They will put me to death another way”.”
“I think he is right, Madame Campan,” I said. lie has told me that he believes that what is happening here is an imitation of what once happened in England. The English cut off the head of their King Charles I. I fear they will bring him to trial But I am a foreigner, my dear Madame Campan, not one of them. Perhaps they will have less scruples where I am concerned. They will very likely assassinate me.
If it were not for the children . I should not care. But the children, my dear Campan, what will become of them? “
Dear Campan was too full of sense to deny what I said. She was so practical that she immediately set about making me a corselet similar to the King’s waistcoat.
I thanked her but I would not wear it.
“If they kill me, Madame Campan, it will be fortunate for me. It will at least deliver me from this painful existence. Only the children worry me. But there are you and kind Tourzel and I do not believe that even those people would be cruel to little children. I remember how moved that woman was. It was because of the children. No, even they would not harm them. So … when they kill me, do not mourn for me.
Remember I shall go to a happier life than I suffer here. “
Madame Campan was alarmed. All during that sultry July she refused to go to bed. She would sit in my apartment dozing, ready to leap up at the first sound. I believe she saved my life on one occasion.
It was one o’clock in the morning when I started out of a doze to find Madame Campan bending over me.
“Madame !’ she whispered.
“Listen. There is someone creeping along the corridor.”
I sat up in bed startled. The corridor passed along the whole line of my apartments and was locked at each end.
Madame Campan dashed into the anteroom where the valet de chamber was sleeping. He too had heard the foot steps and was ready to rush out. In a few seconds Madame Campan and I heard the sounds of scuffling.
“Oh, Campan, Campan I’ I said, and I put my arms about the dear faithful creature.
“What should I do without friends such as you?
Insults by day and assassins by night. Where will it end? “
Tou have good servants, Madame,” she said quietly.
And it was true, for the valet de chambre at that moment came into the bedroom dragging a man with him.
“I know the wretch, Madame,” he said.
“He is a servant of the King’s toilette. He admits taking the key from His Majesty’s pocket when the King was in bed.”
He was a small man and the valet de chambre was both tall and strong, and for this I bad to be grateful otherwise it would have been the end of me that night. The miserable wretch no doubt thought to earn the praise of
